Coaching opposing muscle teams collectively works the back and front a part of an space in your physique on the identical time, which promotes energy, stability, and muscle progress.
As a health skilled, some of the widespread questions individuals have once they first begin energy coaching is, “What muscle teams do I work out collectively?”
Whether or not you’re simply getting began energy coaching otherwise you’ve been within the groove for some time, it’s essential to be educated on getting essentially the most out of your exercises. I typically suggest coaching opposing muscle teams (agonists and antagonists) on the identical time as a result of they work collectively for lots of the each day actions we make, and it’s very environment friendly.
Merely put, you’re working each the entrance and the again of 1 explicit space of your physique inside the identical session. This coaching technique additionally helps you create a plan to focus on totally different areas of your physique on totally different days of the week whereas nonetheless offering vital relaxation durations.
These are 4 of the most effective muscle group mixtures to work collectively:
- Exercise #1: Chest and Again
- Exercise #2: Quads and Hamstrings
- Exercise #3: Biceps, Triceps, and Shoulders
- Exercise #4: Glutes and Abdominals
Realizing what muscle teams to coach collectively will assist construct muscle and promote general energy and sculpting! Under, I’ve laid out the most effective exercises for coaching opposing muscle teams.
Muscle Group #1: Chest & Again
This opposing muscle teams exercise will goal your chest and again muscular tissues to strengthen and tone your higher physique. It’s all in regards to the push (chest) and pull (again) muscular tissues.
Chest & Again Exercise Directions:
- Seize a medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells in a weight that permits you to full the exercise whereas offering somewhat problem (someplace between 8-15 lbs). I usually use 12 lb dumbbells when working my higher physique!
- Full the workout routines beneath in a circuit format, performing every workout routines for a complete of 45 seconds, adopted by 15 seconds of relaxation.
- The 15 second relaxation interval permits to you catch your breath and prep for the subsequent motion.
1. Chest Fly
The chest fly is a good addition to any energy coaching program that targets your chest and shoulder muscular tissues.
Carry out a Chest Fly:
- Lie on again with knees bent and ft on the ground and maintain dumbbells straight up over chest.
- With a slight bend within the elbow, slowly open arms vast out to the aspect.
- Squeeze your chest as you convey the weights again collectively on the prime.
- Repeat for the specified variety of reps.
2. Renegade Row
The renegade row is a compound train that targets your again, shoulder, and core muscular tissues concurrently. You’ll really feel your muscular tissues burning, and your coronary heart price go up!
Carry out a Renegade Row:
- Start in a full plank with dumbbells in palms, arms prolonged, and toes (kneeling variation is okay in case you are not capable of do a full plank). Have interaction your abdominals drawing the stomach inward in the direction of your backbone.
- Pull the fitting dumbbell up towards proper hip bone retaining the load near your aspect. Slowly return it to the ground and repeat with the left dumbbell.
3. Push-Up
The push-up is the holy grail of energy strikes as a result of it targets a number of muscle teams in a single environment friendly train. The chest, aka your pectorals, are the main target however you additionally use your shoulders, triceps and core.
Carry out a Push-Up:
- Start in a plank place with palms beneath shoulders, legs lengthy behind you, and physique contracted to carry your backbone in a straight line.
- With elbows pointing barely again, bend elbows and slowly start to decrease your physique till you’re simply above the bottom. Maintain your gaze over your fingertips and physique in a straight line.
- As you exhale, tighten your stomach after which push your self again as much as a plank place. That’s one repetition.
4. Reverse Grip Double Arm Rows
The reverse grip double arm row train targets the again muscular tissues, which is an often-overlooked muscle group in girls and can assist enhance your posture.
Carry out a Reverse Grip Double Arm Rows:
- Begin with legs collectively and sit again right into a slight squat participating belly. Arms are in entrance of the physique holding dumbbells at hip peak with palms going through the ceiling.
- Draw elbows again previous hips gently hugging the aspect physique so you are feeling lats and triceps interact and return ahead with management.
5. Chest Press
The chest press is a category transfer that targets your chest muscular tissues with shoulders and arms being the helper muscular tissues.
Carry out a Chest Press:
- Lie on again with knees bent and ft on the ground. Elbows are bent and dumbbells begin at shoulder peak.
- Lengthen arms absolutely urgent away out of your chest. Then, slowly decrease to begin place.
6. Overhead Pull
The overhead pull train successfully targets your again muscular tissues. On your info, that is my private favourite again train!
Carry out an Overhead Pull:
- Lie on again with knees bent and ft on the ground. Arms are prolonged above the chest to begin. Have interaction your abdominals.
- Decrease dumbbells previous your head retaining arms principally straight with elbows barely bent.
- Preserving abdominals tight, elevate dumbbells again to begin. The low again ought to keep agency towards the ground all through.
Repeat this circuit thrice for a whole 20-minute upper-body exercise!
Muscle Group #2: Quads & Hamstring
This opposing muscle group exercise focuses on the quads and hamstrings and it’ll get your legs pumping whereas enhancing energy, stability, and efficiency.
The purpose of this decrease physique exercise is to focus on the quad and hamstring muscular tissues collectively and to really feel the burn.
If you happen to get to the final couple of reps and you are feeling like you’ll be able to’t do yet one more, that’s precisely the place try to be. Nonetheless, for those who come to the final couple of reps and really feel like you possibly can do extra, choose up heavier weights!
Quads and Hamstrings Exercise Directions:
- You’ll need a set of medium-to-heavy dumbbells. AI would personally seize a set of 12 or 15 lb dumbbells, however wherever between 8 lb and 20 lb dumbbells can be beneficial relying in your degree of health.
- Full 12 repetitions per train and repeat the whole exercise a complete of three instances!
1. Primary Squat
The essential squat is a elementary decrease physique train that targets your glutes, quads (thighs) and hamstrings (again of the legs).
Carry out a Primary Squat:
- Stand tall together with your ft hip-distance aside. Your hips, knees, and toes ought to all be going through ahead.
- Bend your knees and prolong your buttocks backward as if you’re going to sit again right into a chair. Just remember to preserve your knees behind your toes and your weight in your heels.
- Rise again up and repeat.
2. Deadlift
The deadlift is a compound weightlifting train that engages muscular tissues all through your physique, particularly concentrating on your hamstrings and glutes. Good type is vital to retaining it from going into your decrease again.
Carry out a Deadlift:
- Begin standing with ft hip-distance aside after which dumbbells resting in entrance of thighs.
- Tighten your abdominals and preserve a flat again as you bend the knees barely, reducing the dumbbells in the direction of the ground.
- Squeeze the glutes and use your hamstrings and legs to carry and return to your upright place.
3. Alternating Lunges
The alternating lunge train targets decrease physique muscular tissues whereas additionally enhancing stability and coordination.
Carry out Alternating Lunges:
- Stand tall together with your ft hip-distance aside.
- Take a big step ahead and decrease your physique towards the ground. Each legs must be bent at a 90-degree angle on the backside of the lunge.
- Push off the entrance leg to rise again as much as begin, and repeat on the opposite aspect.
- Carry out 6 reps on either side.
4. Single-Leg Hamstring Bridge (Left Facet)
The only-leg hamstring bride is used to interact your hamstrings and glutes which stabilize the physique and enhance decrease physique energy and stability!
Carry out a Single-Leg Hamstring Bridge:
- Lie on again with bent knees hip-distance aside, and ft flat on mat stacked underneath the knees. Lengthen one leg lengthy in the direction of the ceiling.
- Squeeze glutes and carry hips off the mat right into a bridge. Decrease and carry the hips for the specified variety of reps then repeat on one other aspect.
5. Pistol Squat
The pistol squat is a body weight train that challenges your stability, energy, and suppleness in your decrease physique. That is a complicated train so if wanted, maintain onto a counter or desk for stability.
Carry out Pistol Squats:
- Stand with ft hip-distance aside and prolong 1 leg lengthy on the entrance of the physique.
- Convey palms to hips or the entrance of your physique for stability. Sit again right into a squat with weight within the heel of the foot, then slowly stand again up utilizing your glute and hamstring muscular tissues.
- Repeat for the specified variety of reps and change sides.
6. Single-Leg Hamstring Bridge (Proper Facet)
Full the identical single-leg hamstring bridge you probably did earlier however in your proper aspect!
do a single-leg hamstring bridge (proper aspect):
- Lie in your again with bent knees hip-distance aside and ft flat on the mat stacked underneath the knees. Lengthen one leg lengthy in the direction of the ceiling.
- Squeeze glutes and carry hips off the mat right into a bridge. Decrease and carry the hips for the specified variety of reps then repeat on one other aspect.
Muscle Group #3: Biceps, Triceps and Shoulders
I designed this HIIT higher physique exercise as a good way to mix your biceps, triceps and shoulders in a single environment friendly coaching program. All you want is dumbbells and your body weight!
Bicep, Tricep and Shoulder Exercise Directions:
- Select a light-weight to heavy set of dummbells (I take advantage of wherever between 10-12 lbs) that you would be able to maintain onto for a 20 second inside.
- Carry out every train on the highest degree attainable for a working interval of 20 seconds, adopted by a remainder of 10 seconds earlier than shifting to the subsequent transfer.
- Repeat the whole coaching sequence once more for a complete of 5 intervals (roughly a 20 minute exercise)
Block 1: Bicep Curls, Push Up Punches, Hammer Curls
Carry out every of those workout routines for 20 seconds adopted by 10 seconds of relaxation earlier than shifting to the subsequent train:
Block 2: Tricep Kickbacks, Tricep Dips, Overhead Tricep Extensions
Carry out every of those workout routines for 20 seconds adopted by 10 seconds of relaxation earlier than shifting to the subsequent train:
Block 3: Overhead Shoulder Presses, Shoulder Entrance Raises, Renegade Rows
Carry out every of those workout routines for 20 seconds adopted by 10 seconds of relaxation earlier than shifting to the subsequent train:
Muscle Group #4: Glutes & Abdominals
The ever in style glutes and abdominals muscle teams exercise will strengthen your core and agency up your buns whereas enhancing posture and general athletic efficiency. An excellent abs and booty exercise is one in every of our hottest exercises on our app, Get Wholesome U TV.
Glute and Stomach Exercise Directions:
- Carry out circuit 1.
- Full the burnout spherical for those who nonetheless have the power!
Circuit 1: Glutes and Abs
Full every of the circuit 1 workout routines beneath for 30 seconds every, adopted by 15 seconds of relaxation and rotate by means of the whole circuit three or 4 instances by means of:
- Cross Behind Lunge (30 Seconds)
- Forearm Plank (30 Seconds)
- Glute Kicker (30 Seconds)
- Full Sit Up (30 Seconds)
Circuit 2: Burnout Workout routines
Finish your exercise by finishing the 2 workout routines beneath to “burnout” or for 30 seconds. Full this circuit two instances by means of:
Pattern Schedules
These pattern exercise schedules will make it easier to plan your week. As I acknowledged beneath, by working opposing main muscle teams collectively, you’ll be able to break up up your physique all through the week permitting ample relaxation for every muscle group.
Whether or not you’ll be able to solely slot in exercises two instances per week or break up it up into three or 4 days, the important thing factor I’ll at all times remind you is consistency issues. Keep constant and work to fatigue and you will notice outcomes.
Opposing Muscle Exercises: 4 Days a Week
| Monday | Higher Physique: chest and again |
| Tuesday | Legs: glutes and hamstrings |
| Thursday | Higher Physique: shoulders and arms |
| Saturday | Decrease Physique: glutes and abdominals |
Opposing Muscle Exercises: 3 Days a Week
| Day 1 | Chest, again (opposing teams), shoulders |
| Day 2 | Biceps, triceps (opposing teams) abs |
| Day 3 | Quads, hamstrings (opposing teams) glutes |
Opposing Muscle Exercises: 2 Days a Week
We all know life is busy so if two energy periods per week works greatest in your schedule, divide up the physique into the higher and decrease physique. Since you are doing extra muscle teams in every session, you could do much less repetitions or much less workout routines for every muscle group, which is definitely good for newcomers.
| Day 1 | Higher Physique: chest, again, bicep, tricep, shoulders |
| Day 2 | Decrease Physique and Core: glutes, hamstrings and abs |
FAQS
Combining opposing muscle teams works the back and front elements of an space in your physique on the identical time, which promotes energy, stability, and muscle progress.
Combining totally different muscle areas on separate days is an efficient technique to give your muscular tissues sufficient time to relaxation between exercises. This helps to stop overtraining and accidents.
Principally constructing muscle boosts your metabolism. Muscle is a extra metabolic tissue that burns extra energy even at relaxation than physique fats does. So all energy coaching is price it. I define above the opposing muscle teams to work collectively.
